A mass tort is a civil action involving numerous plaintiffs against one or a few corporate defendants. The tort may involve, for example, personal injuries suffered by numerous plaintiffs as a result of a defective product, or a mass disaster in which there were many injured persons, such as an airplane crash, or exposure of a large group of people to toxic chemicals or pharmaceuticals.
Torrance is a city located in the South Bay (southwestern) region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance's 1.5 miles of beach coastline is less well-known than those of its immediate neighbors to the North, Redondo Beach, or to the South, Palos Verdes Estates. As of the 2009 California Population Estimate, the city's population was 149,111; the eighth largest city in Los Angeles County and the 35th largest in the state of California. Incorporated in 1921, Torrance enjoys a moderate year-round climate with warm temperatures, sea breezes, low humidity and an average rainfall of 12.55 inches per year. This residential city has 90,000 street trees.